


The Void Stares Back

by Tea_is_Not_Them



Series: Avatar Jon (AKA: Other Entities snag the Archivist) [8]
Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: Archivist Martin Blackwood, Dark Avatar Jonathan Sims, Elias DIES, Fluff, Found Family, Infodumping, Infodumping is my love language, Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist Needs a Hug, Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist Wears a Skirt, Light Angst, M/M, Sasha and Tim bully everyone, Sasha does not get NotThemmed, Season One Archives Gang, Thats just given at this point folks, The Dark
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-16
Updated: 2020-07-16
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:54:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,933
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25295032
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tea_is_Not_Them/pseuds/Tea_is_Not_Them
Summary: Jon had to do a follow-up on this statement, but he didn't want to send out any assistants after the Jane Prentiss thing. Jonathan Sims has gone missing.
Relationships: Martin Blackwood/Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist
Series: Avatar Jon (AKA: Other Entities snag the Archivist) [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1818751
Comments: 48
Kudos: 341





	The Void Stares Back

**Author's Note:**

> Hello this one is super heavy on description of jon as a shadow, so sorry about it. But I've powered through the dark! I'm thinking the next is gonna be the Vast but that depends. If anyone has anything theyd like to see you can deffo recommend.  
> Also yes the title is based off of that one black cat meme
> 
> FANART LINK AT THE BOTTOM 
> 
> My Socials as per the usual
> 
> Insta: tea_is_not_them  
> tumblr: tea-is-not-them  
> tiktok: teaisnotthem

Usually Jon didn’t go out for his own answers about statements, that's what his assistants did. After Jane Prentiss though, he didn’t want to send any of his assistants out to something too dangerous, though he wouldn’t admit that he cared. This didn’t stop him from going though, because he still needed the answers. Maybe he was just stupid enough to put himself into harms way. It was a statement about a place that held no light.

As Jon crept through the abandoned church yard he wondered if this would solve anything, if he would even learn about something that could help. As he moved the flashlight around to see into the abyss that was the inside of an abandoned church, his light flickered and blew out. He was pushed, and he was trapped inside the impenetrable darkness that was the church.

\---------

It had been a month since Sasha, Tim, or Martin had seen Jon. They only knew that he had gone looking for a followup when they found the files on his desk that had plans and ideas written on the notes side. Elias had come down one week in and said, with no small amount of something that seemed like smugness, that Jon was missing. He looked a bit angry as well, but the three of them kind of took it as him being angry he might have to find a replacement for a position he just filled.

The third week in, Elias came down saying that Jon was not going to be coming back, and that he had waited long enough to fill the position. All three of them waited for Sasha to be promoted, but Elias just looked them over a few times, his gaze roving as if searching, and his eyes landed on Martin. 

Martin had no clue how the fuck he got the job, and there was no way he could turn in down because Elias was already leaving before Martin could open his mouth. He wanted to scream that Sasha should get the job. He was ready to get angry looks from his coworkers for somehow stealing a promotion that he did not deserve.

Instead they were angry at Elias for putting people on the spot, indignant at their probably sexist boss, and how Martin is not at fault. It made him feel better but he had no clue how to do the job, he wasn’t even qualified for being an assistant. 

He started staying later, doing everything he could to learn and be a better Archivist. Martin still felt incompetent as anything, but Sasha and Tim were really helpful. Many nights of googling also did not help his understanding of the damn job, but it was the thought that counted he supposed.

Still being in the position never felt right and meeting up with Elias always ended with Elias twisting his words enough that Martin couldn’t step down, no matter how much he tried. It was angering as much as it was patronizing. Also Elias started checking in on them more often as if he was making sure they hadn’t run off, like unruly pets. Martin supposed that was fair with Jon missing and Gertrude also missing, presumed dead.

Still he had the creepiest feeling of being watched.

\-------------

Jon sat in the darkness listening to the whispers and conversations. He wondered how long it had been since he stayed here. It was nice actually, the feeling of being watched was gone and he had fallen asleep once or twice, there were no more nightmares. He should be dead. Maybe he was actually, he couldn’t hear his heartbeat. He hadn’t eaten anything in days he thinks. There was no pulse point. 

Of course, at first he had been bored. He was not used to being unable to occupy himself, but soon that turned into him making things up in his head. Thinking about how he was stuck. He had been scared at first, but then he learned to accept it.

Finally the door opened to the church, and Jon stood up and made his way over. He was walking fast but he didn’t realize it. It was dark outside, only the stars and full moon to guide him. It was almost too bright even then. The light hurt his eyes after however long he had been sitting in nothingness.

He looked down at his hands in the light of the moon only to find himself void. His hands were pitch black. Jon took a deep breath, he was completely dark, his hands solid shadows and every other part of him that he could see was the same. His heart should have started beating faster, but he couldn’t feel it. 

He went to his flat, hoping it was still there. He still had his keys, he was happy he had pockets, and when he opened it he saw it was empty. All of his things were gone, the lights he turned on flickered as if no one had paid the electricity bill, which he supposed no one did. He ran to the bathroom and saw himself in the grubby mirror, hands clutching the sink edge.

He had no features, the silhouette of him was there of course, the light was flickering and the room dim. He had eyes. That's the only thing on his body that had any color other than void inkiness. This would take some getting used to, and a mental breakdown on the bathroom floor wasn’t detrimental. 

\------------------

Martin was staying late again, the bags under his eyes growing. He had made more tea and sipped on it delicately. He wanted to tear his hair out. It was very easy to see why Jon had started greying prematurely. He let his head rest on the desk with a groan. How had he gone from resident tea maker to workaholic he didn’t know. The difference was stark. At least he didn’t have to take care of his mother alone now, as she wanted to go to a home. 

He let himself wallow for a second before pulling his head up and catching a glimpse of something moving out of the corner of his eye. He turned at the speed of light, trying to catch a glance of what had to be his imagination. Eyes. There were grey-scale eyes looking at him, they were huge and unnerving in their watching. He let out a scream, before he clamped a hand over his own mouth as the thing seemed to jump.

“Shh!” The thing came out of the darkness, and Martin could see something familiar about the figure. That did not stop Martin from feeling very threatened.

“Why should I?” He held a tape recorder, as if that would do anything against a shadow.

The thing rolled its eyes and looked like it was running a hand through its hair, wait a minute he knew that movement. 

“Jon?”

The thing, Jon, blinked and nodded, “Yes it’s me Martin.”

“What the hell happened to you? Are you ok?” Martin stepped closer, looking deeper to see if he could make out any of Jon’s features.

Jon took a deep breath, “I don't know. Something supernatural. Uh. Relatively I am doing fine.” 

“Sounds like a lie.” Martin said back. Jon snorts.

“Well. Wait, are you head archivist now?” The incredulousness sounded a bit hostile and Martin shrunk. He forgot how much he disliked that tone of voice.

“Yes actually. Elias just promoted me when he thought you weren't coming back.” He fidgeted with his hands, the tape recorder was running, though neither of them cared about it at that moment. Later Martin would wonder how the thing had turned on in the first place.

Jon looked around, his eyes lingering on the piles of reports and misfiled statements, “You look like you're having a hard time.”

Martin laughed a bit hysterically, “I literally don’t have a degree. I have no clue what I am doing.”

There was a second of silence as the confession stayed in the air, before Jon hummed, and then cleared his throat, “Uh. Would you like some help? I mean if its-”

“I’d… love that, thank you Jon.”

\--------------------

Jon could look normal, he had found this out when he had been lamenting over being a monster and unable to live life. As normal as possible at least, there was still some lingering darkness. The only unnatural thing was his hair, which had been a shock. It was black as a bottomless pit, or maybe that one black that sucked in light. Vantablack? Whatever. His hair didn’t matter much. He sort of preferred the featureless presentation. It wasn’t like he talked to anyone but Martin. 

He accidentally scared the hell out of a man train hopping while he was wandering around. The man had seen his eyes and screamed, before running off. So yeah. He only talked to Martin.

Martin kept his secret helper surprisingly well. He was a bit too good at keeping secrets, Jon thought, but he didn’t dwell on that. Jon had only agreed to help if no one knew he existed. It would be hard to explain why their boss had gone missing and came back looking a good bit different. Well. Not a boss anymore.

Sasha and Tim found that Martin was becoming a bit better at his job. While Jon wasn’t the most qualified, he was more qualified than Martin, and he helped Martin run things a bit more smoothly. 

Sasha was proud, and Tim was a bit suspicious, though he usually blew it off. If Martin was being better than good! They were glad that he had finally settled well, hell they were proud that he took something that was thrown at him on the spot.

\-----

Sasha was staying late for the first time in a long time. Usually she went out the same time as Tim but she really just needed to finish this stupid follow up report or it would be the last thing she did! The clock was ticking ominous and she wondered if Martin even knew she was here. He probably didn’t, even if he kept his door open, unlike Jon did when he had been there.

No she didn’t want to think about Jon, she needed to get work done, not wonder if he was alive somewhere. It was a little suspicious that two head archivists went missing though isn't it? Gertrude was dead too, her body found in the tunnels by a frazzled Martin. She wondered if Jon was down there too, rotting. That didn’t spell out anything good for the position, the strangeness delved deeper, a connection between the job and their disappearance, but she couldn't put her finger on it.

When she came back from her small theoretical zone out, she saw something moving towards Martin’s open door. She couldn’t make out anything but a vague outline of something vaguely human in the pitch black of the archives. It had eyes. 

It was creepy and it was making its way to Martin’s door. Sasha stood up as quietly as she could, holding a thick nonfiction book she needed for research. It wouldn’t kill something supernatural but maybe it would give them time to run away.

She creeped towards the figure and just as it was about to step into the light of Martin's office she swung the book, hitting it over what she hoped was it’s head. It made a noise of surprise.

“Sasha?!” Martin exclaimed. He looked startled to see her but then saw the shadow thing on the floor slowly getting up. 

“Good lord what the hell?” The shadow turned and saw her and then it's already large eyes got wider. The shadow scrambled away from her, halfway across the room into a small shadowed area created by the lamp light hitting the bookshelf a weird way.

Sasha looked at it, waiting for it to attack or for Martin ready himself to run or something. They needed to get out! This was obviously supernatural and very dangerous. Why was Martin looking at her like that?

“Jon are you alright?” Jon? Did Martin just say Jon? Martin stood up, and looked closer at the shadow, almost as if he wanted to check on it’s wellbeing. Was that thing Jon? She had enough of horrifying things trying to steal identities, there was already something in the tunnels that almost got her. Though if it was trying to steal Jon’s identity it did a piss poor job of it. 

“Yes. I’m fine.” He sounded annoyed, and that was definitely Jon’s voice. 

“What is going on here?!” Sasha was confused, her eyes flickered to the dark corner with large eyes peeking out, and then Martin, who was standing by his desk. “Is that really Jon?”

Martin sighed, “Yes that is really him.”

“And how long has he been back?” Sasha asked, crossing her arms. He didn’t tell them this? This huge thing that seemed a bit important. They all thought he was dead, and they had missed him even if he was a jerk.

“Like a week ago, a few days after Elias had promoted me. He’s been helping me get it together.” He fidgeted with his hands. The tape recorder was rolling, Sasha noticed.

Sasha gets a moment of realization and her eyes widen, “That’s why you’ve been getting better. Though Jon isn't qualified either.” She laughs before metaphorically shaking herself to get back on track. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Martin scratched his neck, “He didn’t want me to.” he sounded a bit worried. 

Sasha turned to the dark corner where Jon’s eyes still watched, “Why did you not want us to know?”

Jon scoffed, “Well you see how the reunion went.” His snark was still there, that must be Jon. Sasah could hear his smartass streak miles away. 

“Sorry I thought you were Elias or something coming to kill Martin. Forgive me for wanting to protect him.” her tone was a little cold and the eyes winced. Martin gave a shaky smile. 

“I appreciate that Sasha.” 

Sasha hummed, “Why are you hiding in the corner now?”

Jon sighed, “I was kind of hoping you’d forget about me.”

That made Martin snort, he tried to hide his amusement. Jon looked unimpressed, well, his eyes did. Those were the only hints at where he was, or what he felt. She couldn’t see a mouth, but he was talking. She couldn’t see anything actually. How dark was that corner that she couldn’t see him?

“Also. You thinking I am a monster, isn’t a confidence booster.” Jon snarked. Sasha tried to look a little bashful, but then she remembered she had more questions. 

“Come out from there.” She demanded. Jon blinked rapidly and then gave a resigned sound.

When he stepped out of the darkness she was taken slightly aback. There was a Jon shaped shadow, still the eyes were there, but they were larger than any human eyes. If she hazarded a guess she would think he was crossing his arms. He looked a little self conscious, his gaze flickering from her face to where his shoes should be, to Martin.

“Ok. Ok.” She thought for a second, “You’re a shadow person now?”

Jon made a face, though they couldn't see what kind, he sounded a bit offended, “Well I can look normal if that’s what you’re asking.”

Sasha gave a look, “Then why aren’t you doing that?”

Martin looked like he wanted to intervene, but Jon huffed, “It’s a lot easier to just be dark. It's a bit comforting. But uh, if it makes it easier on you.” He sounded the opposite of happy, but the darkness dropped like a cloak, and he looked like himself again. She could almost forget the strangeness. It was different to see his face after thinking he's dead.

The only difference were the greyscale eyes, that really stood out against his skin tone, and were a large change from the normal brown. His skin was still the same color, not darker or lighter. His hair was as dark as a black hole, he looked a little younger without the stress induced greying. He wore a black sweater over a white button up and a black skirt. It was still Jon.

His hands were fidgeting and he was looking anywhere but them. He adjusted his glasses and looked at them.

“Sasha?” Jon asks tentatively.

Sasha was still getting over everything that had happened in the past twenty minutes. The conversation, Jon, everything, “We need to tell Tim.”

Jon sputtered, “Wait- what- He. He probably wouldn’t like this at all.”

“He wouldn’t want to be left in the dark.” Sasha said in full seriousness. Her face was set. She had her mind set on something. As she pulled out her phone Jon looked up at Martin for his reaction. Martin gave a small slightly concerned smile and a thumbs up.

\--------

Tim took it, not gracefully, he had yelled at Jon for a solid twenty minutes about not talking to them and letting them think he's dead. There was a moment where Jon was scared that Tim wouldn’t like the new changes. He had to leave the room and when Tim reentered, he calmly told Jon that he was ok with it. As long as there were no more secrets.

So Jon became a permanent ‘Assistant.’

\--------

Jon tried to hide a laugh. They had yet to spot him. The archival staff had a new game called, “Where is Jon” and it was actually enjoyable. At first Jon had resented the idea of being some shadow where’s wally character, but then Martin talked him into it. 

He peeked open an eye and noticed they were all looking the opposite direction. As soon as they looked away he changed his spot to the pace they had looked before. It was fun to be able to use the weird powers. He could move from one dark place to another as long as he had it in his eyesight. 

Tim had ripped off a DND term and called it shadow hopping. Jon resented that name, even if it did encompass the ability. 

He felt a hand on his head and he jumped. He was found! Martin gave him a grin. The last one to find Jon had to pay for the first round of drinks that night. Martin looked away and tried to look innocent. Jon changed hiding places, but gave Martin a few blinks. Sasha was the next to find him and both her and Martin called their victory.

Tim groaned, “My no pay first round streak is gone!”

“Well it sucks to suck.” Sasha grinned. Martin snickered. Jon came out of the shadows to stand next to Tim.

“Sorry Tim, they caught me off guard.” Jon said, but he was trying not to smile before realizing none of them could tell. He let himself smile.

“Betrayal.” Tim sniffed but gave a good natured smile.

Martin hummed and looked up at the clock and smiled, “Well it’s five. Everyone ready to head out?”

Jon shivered, the shift from being in the dark to being perceived as a person was always a little unpleasant. He gave a nod. Sasha gave a thumbs up and Tim audibly agreed.

\---------------------------

On the way to the bar they frequented, Jon was talking --see info-dumping-- about a book he had read. Martin was listening intently at the long winded critiques, Tim and Sasha were talking about this one show that they both vehemently hated. It was pleasant. 

“Tim you know the regular first rounds?” Martin asked. 

Tim gave a scoff, “You think I don’t remember all of my friends favorite drinks? This is slander against my good name.”

Sasha snickered and Jon tried to fight the smile on his face. 

Martin hummed and thought thoughtfully his tone playful, “I don’t know. Do you really know the favorite drinks?”

“I do too! Martin you like Moscow mules, even if you don’t look like it.” Martin gave a nod and Tim turned to Sasha, “Sash like Mojitos with no leaves.” Sasha laughed and gave a thumbs up. 

Tim turned to Jon, “And you like Margaritas, even though you hate to admit it!”

“Impressive Tim.” Jon gave the complement with a deadpan face, “Now will you go get those drinks?”

Tim gave a dramatic sigh, “You act like my boss still.”

They shared a good natured laugh, all four of them. Then Tim went to get the first round, and possibly flirt with the bartender. The other three went to find a table, when they found a booth they waited for Tim. The conversation was growing, and then Tim arrived with four drinks.

He set them all down and sat next to Sasha, and held his glass up for cheers.

“Cheers to… hating our job!”

Jon rolled his eyes, even as he joined the toast, “I don’t actually work there. I’m just the unpaid help.”

“And we love you.” Sasha says before taking a large sip of her drink.

After everyone finished their first drink Sasha hummed, “Jon come with me to get the second round. Same drinks?” Everyone nodded.

Jon walked with her and they talked about random things. Nothing important but nice enough.

“Hey, your hair is so dark, what dye do you use?” Someone was touching Jon’s hair and he had to blink a few times before turning to answer.

“Uh. Just. Just my natural hair actually.” 

“Oh sorry I just assumed.” the person walked off.

Jon shrugged it off, hoping that would be the last of that. He was used to comments about his hair by now. Sasha gave a laugh, but she looked at him.

“You good?”

“Just hate when people touch my hair without asking. Nothing terrible.”

Sasha gave a sympathetic glance and they both went to the bar. Sasha ordered while Jon spaced out. He was only there to make sure Sasha wasn’t alone. She hated getting hit on at bars when she was alone. Why she didn’t take Tim was a mystery, but Jon enjoyed stretching his legs.

He carried two of the drinks, while Sasha talked about something. He was zoned out until they got back to the table and he placed the drinks down.

It was a fun night overall. They all ended up going to Tim’s place to watch movies until they passed out.

\----------

The lights shut off, the humming stopped. 

“Jon another outage?”

The sheepish voice of Jon answered, “Uh. Sorry.”

Jon had been accidentally causing power outages for the past few months. This was the first one he had caused in the institute. The whole building went dark, every light off. There was some commotion upstairs and the archives were completely pitch black. They could hear footsteps, probably Jon. Martin saw a flash of grey eyes.

The lights turned on and Jon was blinking a few times. That had hurt his eyes, the quick change from complete darkness to light. The kind of darkness that only someone who served the Forever Blind could bring about.

Jon gave a sheepish wave as everything in the archives was back in the light.

“Let me go fix upstairs.”

\-----------

Jon had started accompanying Martin for lunch, there was no real reason for it. He didn’t need to eat, but coffee was always nice. He and Martin went out to grab lunch that day, Martin dragging him along today because Jon had been very invested in a few statements, and Martin refused to let him work in peace. Martin was the boss now though.

“Do you want anything Jon?”

Jon shook his head, “No I’m alright. Would you like me to grab us a seat?”

Martin smiled, “Yeah that’d be great.”

They parted ways, and Jon found a table farther away from people. Sadly he couldn’t sneak any of his statements out when he came, so he watched out the window and waited for Martin to get his food and come over.

“Hey.” Jon blinked a few times, almost jumping in surprise.

“Uh hello?” It was a woman he had never met. She was very alternative though, the blacks of her outfit clashing with the lightheartedness of the place. Though he supposed the same could be said of his ensemble. 

She smiled, “I’m Lilly, nice to meet you.”

Jon was a bit confused, “I’m Jonathan?”

“You come here often?” She was leaning down a little.

Jon blinked a few times, “Sometimes?” He looked up to see Martin heading over and perked up. “Martin over here.”

Lilly turned and a look crossed her face, “Oh sorry. Thought you were single.”

Martin heard this and turned pink. He opened his mouth to say something but she walked off. He sat his things down and Jon wondered what the hell happened. Oh. 

“Was she flirting?” 

Martin looked at him incredulously, “Jon are you serious?”

Jon pouted and glared, “Shut up. Was she?”

He couldn’t seem to hold his laugh and he took a minute to calm down, “Oh my god. You’re oblivious.” he seemed to realize what he said, Uh. No offense. Uhm sorry-”

Jon crossed his arms, “It’s fine... She assumed we were a couple.” The last part was more to himself. Martin tried to hide his red face by eating his food, but Jon was oblivious through and through so he didn’t notice.

“Anyway Jon what were you researching?” He wanted to get off the topic very fast, because there was a little bit of jealousy that he didn’t want to address at this moment. 

Jon launched into a very vivid discussion of a very strange cult. He was animating, still sitting straight up and talking with his hands and Martin held back a smile. The lights may have flickered a little with the hand movements. The end of his small rant came along with Martin finishing his food and Jon looked sheepish, apologizing for it. He always apologized after info-dumping, and every time Martin told him that it was alright. 

When they walked back to the Institute Martin got onto a tangent about tea leaves.

\-------------------

“You have got it Bad.” Tim said with resoluteness. Martin groaned letting his head thump the table.

Sasha laughed, “If Jon doesn’t like him back I’ll eat my socks. You should go for it.”

“Yeah Martin get your monster boyfriend!” Tim declared, and Martin tried to shush him.

Martin huffed, pulling his head off the table, “You both are horrible.” He was red and Sasha snickered.

“Didn’t he think you were a ghost?” Sasha reminisced, thinking about the Jane Prentiss thing.

Tim grinned, “He totally did! Now he's like a ghost. Oh my god he is Joe Spooky.”

Sasha tried to hide her laugh. The door to the archives opened and they saw Jon walking down the stairs, slowly shifting back into the shadow. He sat next to all of them and blinked a few times.

“Hey Jon you remember when you thought Martin was a ghost?” Sasha turned to face Jon as she asked this. Martin wanted to throw a file folder at her, but he had been doing so good in his organizing.

Jon groaned, “Why I come back here is a mystery to everyone including me.”

“Aww its cuz you love us!” Tim chirped, putting his hands on his hips. He looked rather proud of himself. 

“Debatable.” This got him an elbow from Sasha and he rolled his eyes, “Maybe.”

“Aww little shadow man doesn’t wanna talk about feelings with us.” Tim teased. Martin snickered.

\-------------

Elias’s office was dark. He couldn’t see anything, not through his patron nor through his own eyes.

“Jon. Cease this.”

“You’re blind Elias.” His voice was dripping with contempt. “You have bad plans Jonah.”

The room was cold, like all light and warmth were sucked out of it. Elias took a breath. His office was not supposed to be this dark but he knew what the Forever Blind could cause. As long as he waited this out it would work. Still being disconnected from a patron in a practical temple to them was hard and disorienting.

“This is for trying to hurt my friends.”

He saw the grey-scale eyes and then nothing. He was alone. 

This was not his office.

\-------

Elias was found dead in the tunnels, lost and dehydrated. Completely unable to see.

\-------

Jon hummed in satisfaction. Martin’s lap was an incredibly comfy place to lay one's head. Martin chuckled and pet the dark abyss of his hair, and Jon felt very safe here, the TV was showing a documentary on petry which he had almost zero interest in. When he hummed every light but the one around the couch was turned off, leaving the couch basked in a dreamy almost pink light. The tv was also spared the dark switch.

“You’re so extra you know that right?”

Jon stretched in response, making a content noise. Martin had asked him out one day, and he was slightly worried that no one would like him when he wasn’t human adjacent. Though that worry was settled to rest when Martin had told him that he loved him spooky and all. He used that word as well, which had made Jon groan out loud.

Tim and Sasha found it incredibly funny to see them holding hands. Because Martin was like the sunshine, and Jon was the exact opposite. 

There are now polaroid of all four of them. Even Jon as the anathema of light. They were hung up around the office, that felt a bit safer now that there was no longer a watcher.

**Author's Note:**

> Fanart by Art Harrison on Instagram!!!  
> https://www.instagram.com/p/CFCsa0qFSn6/?igshid=1ngly2enso70t


End file.
